Disambiguating results within a speech based IVR session

ABSTRACT

Within an interactive voice response system, a method of automatically disambiguating results presented to a user can include determining the identity of a user within an interactive voice response session, receiving user inputs specifying selections in an interactive voice response menu hierarchy, and storing historical information specifying the user selections within a profile associated with the identity of the user. For at least one subsequent input from the user, identifying the historical information associated with the identity of the user and using the historical information to reduce a number of possible selections in the interactive voice response menu hierarchy which are presented to the user.

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to the field of interactive voice responsesystems and, more particularly, to processing user inputs andinformation determined by interactive voice response systems.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] To function effectively, speech recognition-based interactivevoice response (IVR) systems must be able to distinguish betweenambiguous search results and/or multiple menu selections from a user.For example, as a caller or user traverses through an IVR menuhierarchy, the caller is presented with one or more possible menuselections. If the caller is presented with more than one possible menuselection, the IVR system must disambiguate the user specified menuselection from the other possible menu selections. This process caninvolve speech recognizing user utterances and/or processing dual tonemulti-frequency (DTMF) signals received over a telephony link.Accordingly, in order to distinguish the user selected IVR menuselection from the other possible selections, the IVR system must relyupon significant speech and/or signal processing resources to comprehendthe user input.

[0005] Several solutions have been proposed for performingdisambiguation. One such solution is directed to prompting the callerfor additional information which may be used to distinguish one dataitem from another. For instance, if the caller is asked to select amongmultiple search results which are presented as possible menu selections,the additional information supplied by the caller can be used todistinguish among those menu selections.

[0006] This technique, however, suffers from several disadvantages. Inparticular, this technique places the burden of distinguishing betweenresults upon the caller, who may or may not be in possession of thenecessary information. Additionally, the IVR system utilizes additionalprocessing resources when conducting further dialogs with the caller toelicit this information and process the caller inputs. Also, thistechnique is limited to distinguishing among query results such as dataitems within a data processing system that is either included within orcommunicatively linked to the IVR system. The caller is not aided innavigating the IVR menu hierarchy and the amount of resources requiredto process received caller inputs is not reduced.

[0007] Another proposed solution for performing disambiguation has beento store statistical information detailing which search results areselected most often as preferred choices by all users who access the IVRsystem. When multiple search results are returned as possible menuselections in response to a user query, the result which is selectedmost often by all users having accessed the IVR system can be presentedas a preferred menu selection.

[0008] This technique also suffers from several disadvantages. Inparticular, this technique is directed to the entire population ofcallers who access the IVR system and cannot function on a per callerbasis. Further, like the disambiguation technique previously discussed,this technique is limited to disambiguating among similar data items anddoes not aid the caller in navigating the IVR menu hierarchy.

[0009] Yet another proposed solution has been to allow a caller tonavigate to a desired location within the IVR menu hierarchy and issue acommand to store that location as a shortcut. The next time the samecaller accesses the IVR system, the, IVR system can present the shortcutas a menu option thereby allowing the user to circumvent one or moremenu selections within the IVR menu hierarchy to arrive at thedestination more quickly. This technique, like the others, places theburden upon the caller to essentially bookmark a location within the IVRmenu hierarchy in a manual fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention can reduce the amount of disambiguationwhich an IVR system is to perform. According to the present invention,user-specific profiles can be maintained which can be accessed by aninteractive voice response (IVR) system. The user profiles can includehistorical information specifying navigational paths through an IVR menuhierarchy which the user has previously navigated during IVR sessions.The user profiles can store additional information such as personalpreferences, frequently taken exit points, past IVR system queries, andselections of particular query results. The user profiles can bemaintained for each user or caller, particular groups of users, frequentusers, and the like.

[0011] The present invention can reduce the need for disambiguation bylimiting the number of selections that are presented to a user.Reduction of the available speech menu options can result in increasedspeech recognition accuracy. Further, as the number of database lookupsrequired for disambiguation can be reduced, IVR session duration as wellas call duration can be reduced which can lead to increased IVR systemperformance and capacity.

[0012] One aspect of the present invention can include a method ofautomatically disambiguating results presented to a user within an IVRsystem. The method can include determining the identity of a user withinan IVR session, receiving user inputs specifying selections in an IVRmenu hierarchy, and storing historical information specifying the userselections within a profile associated with the identity of the user.For at least one subsequent input from the user, the historicalinformation associated with the identity of the user can be identified.The historical information can be used to reduce a number of possibleselections in the IVR menu hierarchy which are presented to the user.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the userinputs can specify a path through the IVR menu hierarchy. In that case,the step of using the historical information can include reducing thenumber of possible path selections. In another embodiment of the presentinvention, the subsequent user input can be received during a second IVRsession. Accordingly, the step of using the historical information caninclude comparing a path being traversed during the second IVR sessionwith at least one path specified by the historical information,determining at least one path specified by the historical informationwhich corresponds with the path being traversed during the second IVRsession, and presenting the corresponding at least one path to the useras a possible IVR menu selection.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one ofthe user inputs can specify a query. The method can include determiningone or more results responsive to the query and receiving adisambiguating user input specifying one or more particular results fromthe determined results. Accordingly, the historical information canspecify the particular result, the subsequent input can specify a queryyielding one or more results for which historical information has beenstored, and the potential selections which are reduced during the stepof using the historical information can be the results of the subsequentquery. Notably, the subsequent input can be received during a second IVRsession.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention can include an IVR systemfor automatically disambiguating results presented to a user. The IVRsystem can include means for determining the identity of a user withinan IVR session, means for receiving user inputs specifying selections inan IVR menu hierarchy, and means for storing historical informationspecifying the user selections within a profile associated with theidentity of the user. The system can include means for identifying thehistorical information associated with the identity of the user for oneor more subsequent inputs from the user and means for using thehistorical information to reduce a number of possible selections in theIVR menu hierarchy which are presented to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] There are shown in the drawings, embodiments which are presentlypreferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is notlimited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a call processingsystem 100 in accordance with the inventive arrangements disclosedherein.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary excerptfrom an interactive voice response system menu hierarchy and anexemplary user profile including historical information.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method of performingdisambiguation in accordance with the inventive arrangements disclosedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The invention disclosed herein provides a method and apparatusfor resolving ambiguities within interactive voice response (IVR)systems. The present invention can automatically collect historicalinformation detailing user interactions with the IVR system and storethe historical information within a user specific profile. Thehistorical information can specify user menu selections which caninclude user inputs and/or selections which the user made during thecourse of navigating through the IVR menu hierarchy. The menu selectionscan specify the path taken by the user through the IVR menu hierarchy.Menu selections also can include user queries and/or query results as auser is often presented with one or more query results in menu formatand asked to specify a particular or desired result.

[0021]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a call processingsystem 100 in accordance with the inventive arrangements disclosedherein. As shown, the system 100 can include call processing resourcesand speech processing resources. More particularly, the system 100 caninclude an IVR system 105, a speech recognition system (SRS) 110, and atext-to-speech (TTS) system 115. Additionally, the system 100 caninclude a processing system 120, a tracking application 125, as well asa data store 130.

[0022] The IVR system 105 can answer received telephone calls andperform call processing functions such as routing calls to particularinternal extensions or external telephone numbers. The IVR system 105can include a hierarchical menu through which callers can navigate tomake requests, query for information, receive information, initiatecalls, and/or redirect an “in-progress” telephone call. Accordingly, theIVR system 105 can interact with callers by conducting a dialog asdetermined by the IVR menu hierarchy and the caller selections madewithin that menu hierarchy. While the IVR system 105 includes voiceprocessing functions, it should be appreciated that the IVR system 105also can receive and process dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signalsreceived via a telephony link.

[0023] The IVR system 105 can direct user speech received over anestablished telephony link to the SRS 110, receive speech recognizedtext from the SRS 110, provide text to the TTS system 115, and receiveaudible speech generated by the TTS system 115 which can, be providedback to a caller over the telephony link.

[0024] The processing system 120 can be an application specific back-endprocessing system, for example a directory assistance application, afinancial transaction processing platform, or any of a variety of otherdata processing platforms which can receive instructions from a speechand/or telephony interface and provide information to such an interface.Once user selections and/or queries are converted to text and processedby the IVR system 105, the processing system 120 can receive and processthose selections and/or queries as well as provide response informationback to the IVR system 105.

[0025] The tracking application 125 can maintain the data store 130.More particularly, the tracking application 125 can store selectionsmade by users during the course of navigating the IVR system 105 menuhierarchy. Information can be stored within the historical data store130, for example within one or more user specific profiles. The profilescan include information such as the particular menu items or nodesaccessed or traversed by a caller during an IVR session, which dataitems or search results had been selected as preferred, for example, inthe case where a user query yields more than one search result, as wellas IVR session information such as the time of the user's call, the dateof the user's call, and the number from which the user called.

[0026] In operation, the IVR system 105 can receive speech input from acaller and provide the speech to the SRS 110 for recognition. The speechrecognized text can be provided back to the IVR system 105 for furtherprocessing. For example, the IVR system 105 can determine whether theuser has selected a menu option or initiated a query. Once adetermination has been made as to the caller's intention, the IVR system105 further can prompt the caller, for example by providing a textprompt to the TTS system 115 and relaying received audio to the callervia the telephony link. A query, once speech recognized and converted toa format which can be understood by the processing system 120, can berouted to the processing system 120. Still, depending upon the caller'slocation within the IVR system 105 menu hierarchy and the caller'sresponses, the caller can be transferred to another extension ortelephone number.

[0027] As the caller makes selections and traverses the IVR system 105menu hierarchy, the tracking application 125 can monitor the caller'sselections and record those selections within the data store 130. Asnoted, the caller's query, results from the caller's query, one or moreresults which the user has selected from multiple results returned inresponse to the query, or any combination thereof can be stored withinthe data store 130.

[0028] Thus, for newly received user queries or user selections of menuitems, the IVR system 105 can interact with the tracking application 125and the data store 130 to determine whether the information storedtherein matches a current path being navigated by the user, matches aseries of results returned responsive to a query, or matches the querywhich was initiated by the caller. If a match is determined, then thestored historical information can be used to reduce the options whichare presented to the user. For example, a previously taken path or queryresult can be presented to the user automatically.

[0029] The various components of the call processing system 100 of FIG.1, for example the IVR system 105, the SRS 110, the TTS system 115, andthe tracking application 125, have been provided for purposes ofillustration. As such, those skilled in the art will recognize thatthese components can be implemented as discrete components and/orsystems as shown, combined into a single larger application programand/or computer system, or implemented as any combination thereof.Further, the call processing system 100 can incorporate an audioplayback system for providing audio prompts in combination with or inplace of the TTS system 115.

[0030]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary excerpt205 from an IVR system menu hierarchy and an exemplary user profile 210including historical information. The IVR menu excerpt 205 (hereafterIVR menu), can include a series of nodes which are referenced withletters A through L. The nodes represent points within the IVR menu 205at which a caller can select from one or more different choicescorresponding to different paths through the IVR menu 205. Thus, forexample, at each node which has one or more child nodes extendingtherefrom, the user can be presented with menu selections, asked for aninput, or asked to specify a query. The menu selections can correspondto different paths or branches through the IVR menu, which have beennumbered for reference. Menu selections also can correspond to differentresults determined from a previously initiated user query as each resultcan be associated with a particular branch, and the selection of aparticular result can cause the user to navigate down the pathassociated with the selected result. At terminal nodes, or nodes thathave no child nodes extending therefrom, an action other than moving toanother menu node can be performed such as a call transfer, thepresentation of determined search results, call termination, or thelike.

[0031] The user profile 210, as shown, is specific to “User A”. The userprofile 210 can include times when a call was received, the date thecall was received, as well as the originating number. The column labeled“Path” can specify the particular path that was traversed by the userduring the call or IVR session. The path can be specified using branchindicators as shown or can be specified using identifiers whichcorrespond to the nodes of the IVR menu. Accordingly, the first entryfor User A indicates that on Mar. 15, 2003, the user navigated branches1, 3, and 7 or traversed nodes A, B, D, and H. Each node and/or path ofthe IVR menu that is traversed during a user's IVR session can berecorded.

[0032] The “Result” column can be used to indicate the particular resultthat was selected in the event that more than one result is determinedresponsive to a user query. For example, if listings 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5were returned responsive to a user query and the user selected listing5, the result column can specify “listing 5 ”. Additional columns can beincluded for storing the user's particular query or queries and the oneor more results which are determined responsive to the query.

[0033] It should be appreciated that the historical data can be arrangedusing any of a variety of storage and/or arrangement techniques. Forexample, each IVR session can correspond to a single entry in the userprofile. Each entry can include multiple data items of the same type.For instance, if the user specifies more than one query, the IVR sessionentry can include multiple result data items, each specifying resultsfor one of the different queries.

[0034] Alternatively, each IVR session can be formed of multiple entrieswherein each entry can correspond to a particular part of the overallpath traversed by the user through the IVR menu. For example, thecurrent entry can be closed and, new entry begun responsive to the userinitiating a new query, when particular nodes are traversed, or after aparticular number of nodes is traversed. In illustration, a new entrycan be started when the user navigates through particular nodes such asnodes D, E, F, and/or G, which form the second row of nodes within theIVR menu 205, after each new query, or after traversing 3, 4, or 5 nodesof the IVR menu 205.

[0035] In any case, although the user profile 210 is illustrated as atable, the user profiles and data store are not so limited. Rather, anyof a variety of data storage formats can be used. For example, thehistorical information can be stored using a database, a linked list orany other suitable data storage technique and/or format. Additionally,it should be appreciated that the nodes and linking segments or brancheshave been identified for purposes of illustration. Any of a variety ofdifferent referencing techniques can be used which allow the trackingapplication to monitor and store user selections, queries, queryresults, and particular paths through the IVR menu 205.

[0036]FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method of performingdisambiguation in accordance with the inventive arrangements disclosedherein. The method 300 can begin in step 305 where a call can bereceived. Accordingly, the IVR system can answer the call therebyestablishing a telephony link with the user. In step 310, the IVR systemcan identify the user. User identification can be performed using any ofa variety of different techniques. For example, the IVR system can relyupon a caller ID feature to automatically identify the user using theoriginating number. Alternatively, the IVR system can engage the user ina dialog so as to obtain identifying information such as a username,password, or the like to properly identify the user.

[0037] In step 315, after having identified the user, a determinationcan be made as to whether a profile exists for the user. If not, themethod can proceed to step 320 where a user profile associated with theuser can be created. From either step 315 or step 320, the method canproceed to step 325 where the user profile for the current user can beidentified and accessed. Within the identified user profile, an entrycan be started for the current call or IVR session. For example, withinthe entry, the date and time in which the call was received can bestored. Additional information such as the telephone number from whichthe user is calling also can be stored if this information is available.Notably, if the user's originating number is available, the IVR systemcan further tailor menu selections and/or filter query results accordingto the user's historical data, including the user's historical data forthe particular number from which the user initiated the call.

[0038] In step 330, the IVR system can greet and/or prompt the user withone or more possible menu selections from which to choose. In step 335,a user input can be received in response to the presented menuselections and/or greeting. As noted, the user input can be in the formof a DTMF input and/or a speech response.

[0039] In step 340, the received input can be processed and identifiedfor a type. More particularly, if the input is in the form of a DTMFinput, the received DTMF signals can be translated to the particularmenu option that the received input is selecting. If the received inputis in the form of a speech input, the user speech can be recognized andcan be matched with the menu selection that the speech input isselecting. For example, if the user was prompted to “select 1 forfinance, 2 for human resources, or 3 for customer service”, the usercould press or say “1”, “2”, or “3”. Thus, either the DTMF signal or theuser speech can be interpreted to determine the user specified selectionof finance, human resources, or customer service.

[0040] Notably, if one of the menu options was to specify a query, theuser can speak a query which can be recognized and converted to text.For example, the IVR system can prompt the user to “select 1 forfinance, 2 for human resources, 3 for customer service, or speak thename of the person with whom you wish to speak”. Accordingly, the IVRsystem can determine that the input type is a query if the user hasprovided a spoken utterance which does not match a specific IVR menuselection and the user also had an option of specifying a query. In thiscase, for example, the user had an option of specifying a query and if aname is uttered, the user specified name will not match options 1, 2, or3.

[0041] In step 345, the user's input can be stored within the user'sprofile and associated with the newly created entry for the current IVRsession. As the user specified selection corresponds to either anidentifiable node or branch of the IVR menu, depending upon theparticular implementation or manner of tracking the user's path throughthe IVR menu, the user selection can be stored. If the user input was aquery, once recognized, the text of the query or keywords selected orrecognized from the query can be stored within the user profile andassociated with the newly created entry for the current IVR session.

[0042] In step 350, a determination can be made as to whether thereceived user input was a query. If so, the method can proceed to step355 where the query, once recognized and translated to a suitable formatcompatible with the processing system, can be submitted to theprocessing system. In step 365, results from the submitted query can bereceived.

[0043] In step 360, a determination can be made as to whether anyreceived user inputs specifying a path through the IVR menu or queryresults received in the current session correspond to historicalinformation of the user's profile. If so, the method can proceed to step370. If not, the method can proceed to step 375.

[0044] Continuing with step 370, in the case where stored historicalinformation is applicable to the current dialog context, the historicalinformation can be used to limit the menu selections or query resultswhich are presented to the user. For example, if the user has traversedthe same path during a previous IVR session as is presently beingtraversed, then the possible menu selections can be limited to onlythose which have been selected by the user in the past for the samepath. Thus, the user can easily navigate a previously traversed paththrough the IVR menu. The menu selections also can be limited to thosewhich the user has previously selected when at the same node in the IVRmenu regardless of the particular path taken to that node. The user canbe provided with additional prompts or options which allow the user toindicate that he or she wishes to hear all available menu selections.

[0045] If the user is receiving query results, for example in the casewhere the user has asked for the telephone number or other informationfor a particular person, the historical information can be used to limitthe presentation of duplicative query results. For instance, if multiplehits for a person named “John Smith” are determined, only the result orresults which have been previously selected by the user need bepresented to the user as available menu selections. As noted, the usercan be provided with the opportunity to ask for all determined queryresults.

[0046] In similar fashion, if the particular node to which the user hasnavigated can receive a user specified query, then the IVR system canprompt the user as to whether any of the stored queries from past IVRsessions which correspond to the current path and/or node should beissued to the data processing system. Accordingly, the user can commandthe IVR system to reissue a query stored in the user's profile which wasissued at the same node within the IVR menu in the past or reissue aquery from the user's profile which was issued in the past while at thesame node within the IVR menu during a same or similar navigational paththrough the IVR menu. Still, the user can opt to specify a new query.

[0047] In step 375, a determination can be made as to whether additionaluser input is required to disambiguate menu selections and/or queryresults. For example, the case can arise where the historicalinformation reduces the number of available IVR menu items and/or queryresults, but is unable to limit the selections to a single menu item orquery result. The case also can arise where the historical informationis not applicable to the current IVR menu state or dialog and thereforecannot be used to limit the available IVR menu items and/or queryresults. In either case, the method can proceed to step 390 where anyavailable IVR menu items and/or query results can be presented to theuser so that the user can select from among the available options. Themethod can proceed to jump circle A and repeat as necessary.

[0048] If no further user input is required to determine a course ofaction, the method can proceed to step 380. In step 380, a particularaction can be taken such as connecting the user to the appropriateextension or telephone number, providing the user requested information,or the like. The method then can proceed to step 385 where the currentIVR session can end.

[0049] The present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software. The present invention can berealized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or in adistributed fashion where different elements are spread across severalinterconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or otherapparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein issuited. A typical combination of hardware and software can be a generalpurpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loadedand executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out themethods described herein.

[0050] The present invention also can be embedded in a computer programproduct, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation ofthe methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer systemis able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the presentcontext means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of aset of instructions intended to cause a system having an informationprocessing capability to perform a particular function either directlyor after either or both of the following: a) conversion to anotherlanguage, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different materialform.

[0051] This invention can be embodied in other forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential attributes thereof. Accordingly, referenceshould be made to the following claims, rather than to the foregoingspecification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. Within an interactive voice response system, amethod of automatically disambiguating results presented to a usercomprising: determining the identity of a user within an interactivevoice response session; receiving user inputs specifying selections inan interactive voice response menu hierarchy; storing historicalinformation specifying the user selections within a profile associatedwith the identity of the user; for at least one subsequent input fromthe user, identifying the historical information associated with theidentity of the user; and using the historical information to reduce anumber of possible selections in the interactive voice response menuhierarchy which are presented to the user.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein said user inputs specify a path through the interactive voiceresponse menu hierarchy and wherein said step of using the historicalinformation comprises reducing the number of possible path selections.3. The method of claim 2, wherein said subsequent user input is receivedduring a second interactive voice response session, said step of usingthe historical information further comprising: comparing a path beingtraversed during the second interactive voice response session with atleast one path specified by the historical information; determining atleast one path specified by the historical information which correspondswith the path being traversed during the second interactive voiceresponse session; and presenting the corresponding at least one path tothe user as a possible interactive voice response menu selection.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein at least one of the user inputs specifies aquery, said method further comprising: determining a plurality ofresults responsive to the query; and receiving a disambiguating userinput specifying a particular result from the plurality of results;wherein the historical information specifies user selected queryresults, the subsequent input specifies a query yielding a plurality ofresults for which historical information has been stored, and thepotential selections which are reduced during said step of usinghistorical information are the results of the subsequent query.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein said subsequent input is received during asecond interactive voice response session.
 6. A machine readablestorage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality ofcode sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to performthe steps of: determining the identity of a user within an interactivevoice response session; receiving user inputs specifying selections inan interactive voice response menu hierarchy; storing historicalinformation specifying the user selections within a profile associatedwith the identity of the user; for at least one subsequent input fromthe user, identifying the historical information associated with theidentity of the user; and using the historical information to reduce anumber of possible selections in the interactive voice response menuhierarchy which are presented to the user.
 7. The machine readablestorage of claim 6, wherein said user inputs specify a path through theinteractive voice response menu hierarchy and wherein said step of usingthe historical information comprises reducing the number of possiblepath selections.
 8. The machine readable storage of claim 7, whereinsaid subsequent user input is received during a second interactive voiceresponse session, said step of using the historical information furthercomprising: comparing a path being traversed during the secondinteractive voice response session with at least one path specified bythe historical information; determining at least one path specified bythe historical information which corresponds with the path beingtraversed during the second interactive voice response session; andpresenting the corresponding at least one path to the user as a possibleinteractive voice response menu selection.
 9. The machine readablestorage of claim 6, wherein at least one of the user inputs specifies aquery, said method further comprising: determining a plurality ofresults responsive to the query; and receiving a disambiguating userinput specifying a particular result from the plurality of results;wherein the historical information specifies user selected queryresults, the subsequent input specifies a query yielding a plurality ofresults for which historical information has been stored, and thepotential selections which are reduced during said step of usinghistorical information are the results of the subsequent query.
 10. Themachine readable storage of claim 9, wherein said subsequent input isreceived during a second interactive voice response session.
 11. Aninteractive voice response system for automatically disambiguatingresults presented to a user, said interactive voice response systemcomprising: means for determining the identity of a user within aninteractive voice response session; means for receiving user inputsspecifying selections in an interactive voice response menu hierarchy;means for storing historical information specifying the user selectionswithin a profile associated with the identity of the user; means foridentifying the historical information associated with the identity ofthe user for at least one subsequent input from the user; and means forusing the historical information to reduce a number of possibleselections in the interactive voice response menu hierarchy which arepresented to the user.